I just finished reading the Way of the Peaceful Warrior. I am going
to give you my unedited review. About ten pages in I wanted to smack
the gymnast and tell him to get over himself and grow up. At the end
of the book I wanted to smack him harder and tell him he has learned
nothing. And oh yeah, grow up.
To me it was just another book about a selfish man who can walk away
from family and children and any real responsibilities to go off and
"find himself". Maybe this angers me because I have one of those
living in my basement.
Women don't have the luxuries (still) that many men have. We
(typically) don't walk away to climb a mountain and sit under a tree
and contemplate sap. We must find our Nirvana in the repition of our
daily lives. An epiphany that comes while folding the towells that
were just washed and folded only two days ago. Women contemplate
their childrens smiles and dirty diapers and find Nirvana in a stolen
nap. When we shrug off our responsibilities it means Take Out for
dinner, not hopping a plane to India. A peaceful warrior to me is not
a man who decides to paint houses after obtaining a degree from
Berkley. It is the man who paints houses because that is all that is
offered to him and he goes home to his family everyday covered in
paint and lovingly takes the baby and tells his wife, "I've got it,
why don't you go for a walk" That is the man who has it figured out.
Sure there were a few interesting tidbits in the book, but nothing I
have not heard before, tho nice to hear again.
I just wish there was a book about a soul searching, life altering,
gate opening, woman who achieves all that and still manages to get her
kids to school on time without screaming and yelling at them. Now
that is a peaceful warrior.
